Narrowly Avoided Collision with Motor Yacht

[DrivinSteve]

Originally Posted by rebel heart

A vessel transiting a channel is not necessarily and rarely is a vessel that can only transit in a channel.

I agree with "not necessarily" but not the rarely. It really depends on where you are and local knowledge comes into play.
See this chart clip and decide where you would be in, say, a 36' Hans.


[IMG]file:///C:/Users/Marcia/AppData/Local/Temp/moz-screenshot.png[/IMG][IMG]file:///C:/Users/Marcia/AppData/Local/Temp/moz-screenshot-1.png[/IMG]

[evm1024]

CBD is international not inland as I recall.....

Can you do a 360 in the channel? Not CBD or RAM then. My boat can do a 360 in a 100' foot wide channel. $0.02 here not rules

[Dreaming Yachtsman]

Enough has been written in this thread about rules of the road so I will offer this suggestion instead of more recriminations that might help when approaching a well lighted shore:

A lookout may be able to spot a vessel against a backdrop of lights by looking for a moving dark spot where that vessel is obscuring the shore lights. This is really tough to do and requires extraordinary patience and vigilence - not something a helmsperson will usually have time for. You really need at least one dedicated lookout to do this. Two, one for each side of the boat, would be even better.

[DrivinSteve]

Originally Posted by evm1024

CBD is international not inland as I recall.....


Can you do a 360 in the channel? Not CBD or RAM then. My boat can do a 360 in a 100' foot wide channel. $0.02 here not rules

You can be RAM by your draft. The nature of your work being going from A to B.???
I'm not familiar with the 360 as a criterion for CBD. The question is can you do a 180 or whatever it takes to avoid collision from the center of the unfamiliar channel, suddenly, in the dark, with traffic behind you, with adverse wind and current? That's when this $#@! happens.
Bottom line:
Keep a proper lookout for boats, flotsam, USOs, idiots and drunks and be prepared at all times to take evasive action.
To the original OP, thanks for airing this out.

[capn_billl]

Originally Posted by Surfer Girl

Rule 9
(b) A vessel of less than 20 meters in length or a sailing vessel
shall not impede the passage of a vessel that can safely navigate only
within a narrow channel or fairway.

I stand corrected, if you are piloting a 61' Power vessel, feel free to impede me.

[evm1024]

Originally Posted by DrivinSteve

You can be RAM by your draft. The nature of your work being going from A to B.???
I'm not familiar with the 360 as a criterion for CBD. The question is can you do a 180 or whatever it takes to avoid collision from the center of the unfamiliar channel, suddenly, in the dark, with traffic behind you, with adverse wind and current? That's when this $#@! happens.
Bottom line:
Keep a proper lookout for boats, flotsam, USOs, idiots and drunks and be prepared at all times to take evasive action.
To the original OP, thanks for airing this out.

Of course it is not a criterion - that is why I put in this disclaimer "$0.02 here not rules".

The OP's vessel was not engaged in any activity specified in Rule 3 - which leaves any other activity that makes her "restricted in her ability to maneuver as required by these Rules".

There was talk about being RAM due to the boats draft and a narrow channel.

The point about the 360 is that if you can do one without running aground then you are clearly not RAM....

Regards